Pragmatic

//pɹæɡˈmætɪk// adj, noun

Definitions

Adjective
  1. 1
    Practical, concerned with making decisions and actions that are useful in practice, not just theory.

    "The sturdy furniture in the student lounge was pragmatic, but unattractive."

  2. 2
    Philosophical; dealing with causes, reasons, and effects, rather than with details and circumstances; said of literature.

    "Polybius’s pragmatic history is simply the history of affairs, as distinguished from the descriptive and often poetical character which much history before his time had."

  3. 3
    Interfering in the affairs of others; officious; meddlesome. obsolete
Adjective
  1. 1
    concerned with practical matters wordnet
  2. 2
    guided by practical experience and observation rather than theory wordnet
  3. 3
    of or concerning the theory of pragmatism wordnet
Noun
  1. 1
    A man of business.
  2. 2
    an imperial decree that becomes part of the fundamental law of the land wordnet
  3. 3
    A busybody.
  4. 4
    A public decree.

Etymology

Etymology 1

From Middle French pragmatique, from Late Latin pragmaticus (“relating to civil affair; in Latin, as a noun, a person versed in the law who furnished arguments and points to advocates and orators, a kind of attorney”), from Ancient Greek πραγματικός (pragmatikós, “active, versed in affairs”), from πρᾶγμα (prâgma, “a thing done, a fact”), in plural πράγματα (prágmata, “affairs, state affairs, public business, etc.”), from πράσσω (prássō, “to do”) (whence English practical).

Etymology 2

From Middle French pragmatique, from Late Latin pragmaticus (“relating to civil affair; in Latin, as a noun, a person versed in the law who furnished arguments and points to advocates and orators, a kind of attorney”), from Ancient Greek πραγματικός (pragmatikós, “active, versed in affairs”), from πρᾶγμα (prâgma, “a thing done, a fact”), in plural πράγματα (prágmata, “affairs, state affairs, public business, etc.”), from πράσσω (prássō, “to do”) (whence English practical).

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